There is some great advice already here. But here are a few things to ponder:
1. I say good riddance. Better not to be working at this place.
2. More importantly, things could have been worse for your immigration status if you would have joined this company and they would have eliminated your position then. Now you at least have the option of going back to your current employer without any hassle of visa transfers.
Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
101–110 of 168 posts
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#102I just wrote the following, but it doesn't really take into account your immigration status. That's tricky.
I don't agree with the prevailing sentiment. Obviously you left for a reason, and that reason still exists. It would look ridiculous to go back.
I'm sure you'll get a few interviews out of this thread, and if you're good, a new job. There's always risk changing jobs.
For an entrepreneurial crowd, it seems everyone here is forgetting that it's risky to pursue something you want. I left a well paying job were I was liked and performed well to go to a start up who is still paying me by the hour. They even changed the start date a couple times after I already gave notice -- it was flaky behavior, and I told some people at my old job about it before I left. They looked at me like I was crazy, but I wanted the new challenge. I wanted to develop a product from the ground up, and if the new job hadn't panned out, I would have found a way to be OK.
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#103Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't want to make a decision for my current company. They may even let me have it back. I'm on very good terms with my team too and they were in fact, disappointed to see me go. I'd just hate myself to go back with my head hung in shame telling them that 'oh my job didn't work out'...take me back. I had a farewell lunch yesterday. Everyone in my extended team knows I'm leaving. My exit interview is planned for ear…
I had a farewell lunch yesterday. Make a joke of it. If you get your job back, take all the same people out to lunch. Play up the funny side. Give a "take me back" speech, "what was I thinking" etc etc. Laugh at yourself, and the world with laugh with you. With your immigration status at stake, this is not the time to stand on some misplaced ego thing.
Just tell them the lunch was so good you've decided to stay.
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#104Talk to a lawyer and ask what "detrimental reliance" means. (Short version: what you just did owing to representation that they had a job for you. Comes with damages.) Let your old company tell you you can't have your job back, don't make that decision for them.
I don't want to make a decision for my current company. They may even let me have it back. I'm on very good terms with my team too and they were in fact, disappointed to see me go. I'd just hate myself to go back with my head hung in shame telling them that 'oh my job didn't work out'...take me back. I had a farewell lunch yesterday. Everyone in my extended team knows I'm leaving. My exit interview is planned for ear…
Unprofessionalism? Retracted offers aren't new. During the 2001 recession, many fresh graduates newly at Boeing had offers retracted. At my current company, one employee left to join Doctors Without Borders. We gave him a farewell dinner, and talked about the work he'd be doing abroad. Two weeks later he was back in the office. Turned out, DWB couldn't take him after all (I don't recall the details). He made the best decisions given the information he had. He did nothing wrong, and nor have you. Explain the situation to your employer. You have nothing to be ashamed about, but maybe your new employer does.
And stop tying your self-worth to your career. You are not your work.
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#105Step one find something physical to do to burn off the stress.
After that, come back and read all of the great advice here.
I would go back to your boss, and say, "Hey I guess the offer really was too good to be true. Do you know of any openings at the company, and smile? Can I start Monday?"
Let's hope that works. As for SF I am not even a RoR developer and I get an email/phone call once a week looking for someone. So if you don't get your job back list SF as your home, and plan a trip out here. You should be able to line up 5-10 interviews during a 2 week trip.
You probably want to look at companies that are large enough to have HR and to cover relocation expenses.
I know that http://www.castlighthealth.com/ is hiring RoR developers, and pays well. My roommate seems to be pretty happy there.
Good Luck, and remember that the engineering manager at that other company liked you, and may change companies at any time. Heck if this happens enough to him, he might be looking for a new job right away. Don't burn bridges.
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#106+1 more for trying to get your job back. When I left my corporatey job of 5+ years to join a 10 person startup in August 2008 as I walked out the door on my last day the CEO said something I'll never forget - "If you ever need a job, just call me." Total class. If you've done good work for someone and they aren't morons, of course they will want you back whether it's a year in the future or a week :)
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#107After talking to a lawyer, burn the company. Post here and on a blog and email TC. Assholes should be called out, and fucking with someone's life like this is indefensible, doubly so when he or she has visa requirements. Remember in the US, truth is a defense to libel. And you're doing this not for yourself, but for karma, helping all the future employees this company will screw over. Finally, if you want an sf area…
It may be satisfying to, as you suggest, "burn" the company; but it's also unprofessional. Granted, the startup that rescinded the job offer was behaving unprofessionally, and may even be civilly liable for it's actions, but that does does not mean that you should respond in kind.
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#108Talk to a lawyer and ask what "detrimental reliance" means. (Short version: what you just did owing to representation that they had a job for you. Comes with damages.) Let your old company tell you you can't have your job back, don't make that decision for them.
I don't want to make a decision for my current company. They may even let me have it back. I'm on very good terms with my team too and they were in fact, disappointed to see me go. I'd just hate myself to go back with my head hung in shame telling them that 'oh my job didn't work out'...take me back. I had a farewell lunch yesterday. Everyone in my extended team knows I'm leaving. My exit interview is planned for ear…
It's not just a pride issue; your bargaining position in relation to your previous employer changes in this situation, whether you like it or not, whether or not your manager acknowledges it or not, whether you get the sa, me terms as before back or not, and whether they are nice people or not.
The fact is, you left, it didn't work out, and now you're back because you need something. Next time something good comes up and works out, you're going to leave, they reason. That makes you a risk.
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#109You should absolutely let it be known who this company is. If you're uncomfortable do it anonymously. Rescinding an offer after a candidate has quit an existing job is shameful and anyone doing it should be outed for all potential candidates to know of. Don't be embarrassed about asking for your old job back. And ask the 50 person company to reimburse you - they should pay you for the trouble they've caused. If they'…
You should absolutely let it be known who this company is. If you're uncomfortable do it anonymously. Rescinding an offer after a candidate has quit an existing job is shameful and anyone doing it should be outed for all potential candidates to know of.
What if a major funding event had fallen through, and the company rescinding all outstanding offers and cutting expenses allows half of those 50 employees to retain their jobs for another month? Truth is, you have no idea what's going on at that company. These decisions usually aren't made lightly. I say this as someone that's been in the exact same position in the past. Move on, holding a grudge will only hurt the OP.
Re: Ask HN: Offer of Employment retracted
#110Posterous is hiring, and we love Ruby on Rails. Let me know if you'd like to talk. Perhaps we can make lemonade from these lemons. http://posterous.com/jobs
Posterous, Twitter and loads of others are great places to work.
Specific opportunities aside, I think the point made here (and elsewhere in this thread) is that there are plenty of RoR jobs in The Bay Area - and if you come out here and hang out you'll be in a job within 2 weeks.
I'm sure most of the bigger/funded startups would support the legal costs of a port on an H1b, if that is what you have.
If you go back to your old employer, which is an option, aside from the pride issue I think you would also out of professionalism owe them 3-6 months before you left again, so consider what you want to do carefully.